HEALTH bosses are looking for your views about a proposal to close the Hereford Asda walk-in centre and open a GP surgery in its place.

The NHS Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) wants to redesign how seven-day primary care (care mainly provided by GPs) is delivered in Hereford.

The CCG is proposing to close the walk-in centre and instead move the Ross Road branch of Moorfield House Surgery to the facility, so only people who register with the surgery can be seen there during the weekdays 8am to 6pm.

CCG accountable officer, Simon Hairsnape, said: "There will be 24/7 primary care access. It is just that there will be slightly different services to access. Access will be built around GP registration."

It costs £1.2m a year to run the walk-in centre while at the same time the CCG are paying for people to be registered with a GP.

There are also proposals to move the Taurus hub at Wargrave House in St Owen Street to the Asda site, which would provide evening and weekend appointments for all county residents registered with a GP.

The Taurus contract has been renewed for the year ahead, while the contract with Nestor Primecare Ltd which operates the walk-in centre will end in June.

Mr Hairsnape said: "But I want to be really clear. No changes will be implemented until they are agreed and no changes will be agreed until we have thoroughly consulted and listened to local people about their views."

The consultation has started today (March 2) and will run until April 24.

Mr Hairsnape added: "The aims of our proposals are to enhance primary care access for patients in the South Wye area thereby ensuring continuity of care so that patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time."

They plan to improve access to GP services for people who find registering with a GP difficult.

Four meetings have been organised to discuss the proposals.

There are two on Wednesday, March 15 at the Kindle Centre at Asda from 3 to 5pm and then again at 6 to 8pm.

There are two further meetings on Wednesday, March 29 from 3 to 5pm and 6 to 8pm at Hereford Town Hall, St Owen Street.

There will also be drop-in events at the walk-in centre on Wednesday, March 22 and Wednesday April 5 between 11am and 4pm.

The full consultation and questionnaire will be published on the CCG website from Friday, March 3 and will be available here: www.herefordshireccg.nhs.uk/get-involved/seven-day-services

If you have any questions about the proposals, contact 0121 612 3806.